Sheet transfer and guide



June 30, 1953 R. J. KOVATCH 2,643,757

SHEET TRANSFER AND GUIDE.

Filed July 16, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 30, 1953 R. J. KOVATCH SHEETTRANSFER AND GUIDE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 16, 1949 Ira/61110)" I'/050]? tl fl'o aw.

June so, 1953 R. J. KOVATCH 2,643,757

' SHEET TRANSFER AND GUIDE Filed July 16, 1949 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet s Alto]my June 30, 1953 R. J. KOVATCH 2,643,757 SHEET TRANSFER AND GUIDE FiledJuly 16, 1949 Y 4Sheets-Sheet 4 9 E E E liabart J fiovalah.

Patented June 30, 1953 Robert J. Kovatch, Baltimore, Md., assignor toBethlehem Steel Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July16, 1949, Serial No. 105,225

4.- Claims. (Cl. 19827) My invention rel-ates generally to a sheetfeeding device and is more particularly adapted for use in themanufacture of tin plate, although it can be used for feeding sheets ofother material equally as well where a, similar purpose is desired.

In the manufacture of tin plate after it is rolled and cut into sheetsizes usually 20" x 28" they are passed through an electric cathodiccleaner. The uncoated sheets are then advanced therefrom by a pair ofover-shot conveyors which drop the sheets onto a table which feed themin two rows into a tin pot and then toa catcher for receiving the coatedplate as it comesfrom the tin pot, a cooling and washingtable, a branneror polishing machine, and finally to a piler.

My feeding device whichI will designate as a sheet balancer and guide isillustrated for use in two positions. In the first-case it is shown usedin conjunction with an over-shot conveyor table which receives thesheets after they leave the electric cathodic cleaner, and inthe secondcase it is used attached to the tin plate piler box.

When used in conjunction with the over-shot conveyor which receives thesheets from the electric cathodic cleaner the sheet balancer and guideis attached to the over-shot conveyor and handles wet, uncoatedmaterial.. The sheets of wet, uncoated plates drop from the over-shotconveyor onto the sheet balancer which in turn drops the sheets onto thetable for feeding it into the tin pot. Since the over-shot conveyorfeeds sheets in two distinct rows or positions onto the table, a sheetbalancer is needed for each of the sheet positions of the table. Thesetwo balancers operate in exactly the same manner.

The sheet balancer and guide is used to drop the sheets onto the tablestraight and flat so that one edge cannot hit first causing bending,scratching and cobbling of the sheets feeding into the tin pot. In thisposition the balancer also keeps the wet sheets from sticking togetherbefore they are straight and aligned. A screw adjustable weight on eachsheet balancer can be adjusted to make the balancer trip at the righttime for any weight of sheet.

Before the installation of the sheetv balancer and guide, scratches ofthe previoussheet were prevalent due to the rough shear edge dragging asth sheet fell, light gauge sheets and sheets with de-wet spots had atendency to stick to the previous sheet. This condition caused kinks,broken product, cobbles and loss of production. due to stoppage of theunit. It was necessary to keep a man on duty the entire turn to watchfor these conditions. Since the installation and top of the piler boxand handles dry tin plate.

The sheets of tin plate after they come out of the branner cleaner arefedby a conveyor to an inclined trough down which they slide by gravityonto the sheet balancers which drop the sheets into the sheet piler. Thesheet balancer drops the sheets flat and straight in the piler, so thatone edge will not drop on the pile first, avoiding kinks, cobbles,bending and scratching surfaces in the pile. Here also an adjustableweight is provided for each balancer so that any weight of sheet can bedropped onto the pile at the correct time.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a sheet balancerandguide adapted to receive sheets as they leave a conveyor or the likeand guide the same to its proper position over an automatic feedingtable or the pile in a sheet piler and drop the sheets in such a mannerso that it eliminates operational difficulties.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sheet balancer and guidethat will receive asheet as it leaves a. conveyor or the like and guidethe sheet to its proper position over an automatic feeding table or thepile of sheets in a sheet piler and drop the sheet in such a manner soas to.

prevent scratching of the previously fed sheet due to the rough shearedge dragging as the sheet fell, and to prevent the tendency of thesheets from sticking to the previous fed sheet on the automatic feedingtable, thereby preventing kinks, broken product, cobbles and loss ofproduction, due to the stoppage of the unit.

A further object of my invention relates to the screw adjustable weighton, each sheet balancer that can be adjusted to make the balancer tripat the right time for any weight of sheet.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring now to the accompanying four sheets of drawings which form apart of this specification and on which like characters of referenceindicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the over-shot conveyor showing twosheets from the electric cathodic cleaner being delivered to theautomatic feeding table for feeding the sheets into the entry side ofthe tin pot and showing a pair of sheet balancers and guides attachedthereto. 7 7

Fig. 2 is a to plan view of the sheet balancer and guide as viewed fromthe right hand end of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 illustrates the operation of the sheet balancer and guide fordepositing a sheet on the automatic feeding table from which it isfedinto the tin pot.

Fig. 8 illustrates the operation of the pair of sheet balancers andguides for depositing. a sheet on the pile of sheets in the tin platepiler, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the manner of feeding the sheet tothe tin plate piler, with the sheet balancers shown in a slightlymodified form. t

Referring now to the various characters of reference on the drawings,and first to Figs. 1 to '7 inclusive, the numerals I and 2 indicate theupper and lower over-shot conveyors respectively, which receive the wetsheets from the electric cathodic cleaner, (not shown) and feed them tothe automatic feeding table 3, which is provided with verticaltransversely extending guard plates 4, 5, 6 and 'I', which divide thetable into two lines of feed 8' and 3 for the sheets and advance theminto the tin pot. The guard I2 having an extending arm I3 at one end anda similar arm I4 at an intermediate point in which the sheet balancer I5is pivoted. The main frame I2 is provided with a hanger bracket I6 atone end, the upper end of which is bent as at I! to embrace atransversely extending angular member I8 of the over-shot conveyor andsecured thereto by means of a set bolt I9 threaded into a boss andprovided with a handle 2I for manipulating the set bolt for clamping theend of the'hanger bracket It to angle I8.

A guide plate 22 connects the outer ends of the arms I3 and I 4 andisattached thereto by means of screws 23.

The sheet balancer I5 is of substantially rectangular outline in topplan and is formed'of rod members, the inner rod 24 having a greatercross sectional area than the rod which forms the ends 25 and the outerrod 25, these being formed in one piece and the ends of 25 welded as at21 to the inner rod 24. The ends 25 each have axle extensions 28journaled in'bearings 29 in the arms" I3 and I4 of the main frame I2each provided with a cover 30 attached to each of said arms I3 and I4 bymeans of a screw 3|. The outer ends of. 25 are arc shaped as at 32 toextend under the guide plate 22.

A U-shaped rod 33 has the end of one of its legs 34 which is shorterthan the other leg welded as at 35 to one end of the inner rod 24, whilethe other leg 36 is somewhat longer than the other and extends adjacentto the arm 13 of the main frame I2 and is screw threaded as at 31 toreceive an adjustable balance weight 38 which 4 is more securely held inposition by means of a nut 39. Normally the weight 38 holds the ends 25and the outer rod member 26 in the raised position with the leg 34 ofthe U-shaped rod 33 engaging the top surface of the main frame I2.

As illustrated more clearly in Figs. 1 and 7 the sheet as it is fedforward by the over-shot conveyor to the automatic feeding table 3 hasone edge of the sheet supported by the stationary ,rod 40 which may beadjusted for different widths of sheets while the other edge of thesheet is initially supported by the outer rod member 25 of the sheetbalancer I5. As the sheet continues to advance, the balance weight 38being properly adjusted, the weight of the 4. ing and washing table, anda branner or polishing machine, it is conveyed to a piler to collectthem in piles or stacks from which they are loaded on trucks and takento the assorting room where they are placed upon well lighted tables forinspection, all of which is well known in this art.

.Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9 which illustrates the piling operation.

When used in conjunction with the tin plate piler, a sheet balancer isattached to opposite sides of the top of the piling box 43. The sheetsas indicated at 44 in Fig. 9, after they come out of the branner orpolishing machine and are then fed by means of rollers 35 to an inclinedtrough 46 down which they slide by gravity onto the'sheet balancers I5.

As indicated in Fig. 9 two spaced piling boxes :3 are shown of similarconstruction which are connected together by means of a plate structureas at 41. The trough 46 has a supporting base 43 which is pivoted to llas at 59. The supporting base 48 has an are shaped arm 56attached-thereto and is provided with a setbolt 5i, which extendsthrough an are shaped slot 52 in the plate 41 and provided with anadjustable hand wheel nut 53. As illustrated in Fig. 9, the sheet 44 isbeing discharged into the front piling box 43 to form a pile or stackea. After the stack has been built up to the desired height the handwheel nut 53 is unscrewed slightly and the back end of the trough istilted downwardly manually to allow the sheets to be discharged into therear piling box, the hand wheel nut 53 is then tightened to clamp thetrough 66 in this position. In this manner while the stack in theforward piling box is being removed the stack in the rear piling box isbeing formed, in this man ner the trough is readjusted after each stackis 7 formed and the operation is continuous.

The piling boxes each have a base 55 and side plates 56 and 51, thelatter of which is prefacres-w Each piling box is provided withasswi'ngin door 62 at the outer end having. buifer plates 63 on theinner side for limiting: the forward movement of the sheets when theyare discharged into the piling box. ,Each door 62 is supported by astandard {it in which is mounted a swinging arm 65 the outer end havinga threaded bolt 58 mounted therein and adapted for adjustin'ent by meansof a hand wheel nut 61 and a lock nut 68. The lower end of thethreadedbolt 65 is provided with a cross bar 69 with its end portions connectedby means of chains to the door 62.

The operation of the sheet balancer for the sheet piler is substantiallythe same as for automatic feeding table 3 and Where the structure of thesheet balancer is the same, the same ref erence numerals will applythereto. The sheet as it is fed by gravity from the inclined trough 4tengages the outer rod members 25 of the two sheet balancers i5 and theweight of the sheet will tilt the balancers, and the sheet will bedischarged into the piler box as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a slight modification in which one end of each ofthe threaded rods for the Weights 38 is welded as at H to the rod memberas of the sheet balancer and in Fig. 8 I have illustrated the threadedrod 72 for the adjustable weight 38 as substantially L-shaped, but theoperation of the balancers shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is substantially thesame as that described for Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive. After each stack 54is completed the door 82 is swung out of position and a truck having alower shelf like projection is adapted to extend under the stack andconvey it to the room for inspection.

Although I have shown and described my in vention in considerabledetail, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown anddescribed, but may use such substitutions, modifications or equivalentsthereof, as are embraced within the scope of my invention, or as pointedout in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for delivering lengths of sheets to a feeding table, aconveyor for delivering sheets in sequence to the feeding table toadvance the sheets in a path at right angles to that of the conveyor, astationary means mounted above the feeding table for supporting one sideof the sheet during delivery from the conveyor, a sheet balancer forsupporting the other side of the sheet comprising a main frame having ahanger bracket attached to the frame of the conveyor mounted above thefeeding table, spaced arms extending from the main frame, a journal boxformed in each spaced arm, said sheet balancer having an innerhorizontally extending rod member and an outer horizontally extendingrod member, end rods connecting the ends of the inner and outer rodmember, an axle extending from each of the end rod members journaled inthe boxes of the spaced arms, said outer horizontally extending rodmember engaging and initially supporting the other side of the sheet andadapted to yield under the weight of the side of the sheet and disengagethe other side of the sheet from the stationary support and drop thesheet on the feeding table.

2. Apparatus for delivering lengths of sheet to a feeding table, aconveyor for delivering sheets in sequence to the feeding table, a pairof spaced vertical transversely extending guard plates mounted on thefeeding table, a rod connecting the pair of guard plates. for supportingone side of the sheet during delivery from the conveyor, a sheetbalancer for supporting the other side of the sheet, comprising a mainframe having a l-hanger bracket attached to the frame of the conveyorand mounted above the feeding table, a pair of spaced arms extendingfrom one side of the main frame, a journal box formed in each spacedarm, said sheet balancer having an inner horizontally extending rodmember and an outer horizontally extending rod member of smaller crosssectional area than the inner member, end rods connecting the ends ofthe inner and outer horizontally extending rod members, an axleextending from each of the end rod members journaled in the boxes of thespaced arms, said outer horizontally extending rod member normallyengaging and initiallysupporting the other side of the sheet and adaptedto yield under the weight of the side of the sheet and disengage theother side of the sheet from the rod support and drop the sheet on thefeeding table, automatic means for returning the sheet balancer to itsnormal position, and means for limiting the movement of the sheetbalancer.

3. Apparatus for feeding lengths of sheets from an electric cathodiccleaner to a tin pot, a conveyor for delivering sheets from the electriccathodic cleaner'in sequence to a feeding table, a pair of spacedvertical transversely extending guard plates mounted on the feedingtable, a rod connecting the pair of guard plates for supporting one sideof the sheet during delivery from the conveyor, a sheet balancer mountedabove the feeding table for supporting the other side of the sheet,comprising a main frame having a hanger bracket attached to the frame ofthe conveyor, a pair of spaced arms extending from one side of the mainframe, a journal box formed in the end portion of each spaced arm, saidsheet balancer having an inner horizontally extendin rod member and anouter horizontally extending rod member, end rods connecting the ends ofthe inner and outer horizontally extending rod members, an axleextending from each of the end rod members journaled in the journalboxes of the spaced arms, said outer horizontally extending rod memberadaptedto normally engage and initially support the other side of thesheet and adapted to yield under the weight of the side of the sheet anddisengage the other side of the sheet from the rod support and drop thesheet on the feeding table to advance the sheet into the tin pot, aU-shaped rod having one leg secured to the inner horizontally extendingrod member and the other le threaded to receive a weight threaded foradjustment on the threaded leg portion of the U-shaped rod to allowsheets of different weights to drop onto the feeding table at thedesired time and to return the sheet balancer to its normal positionafter the sheet is dropped.

4. Apparatus for feeding lengths of sheets from an electric cathodiccleaner to a tin pot, a conveyor for delivering lengths of sheetsreceived from the electric cathodic cleaner to a feeding table insequence, a pair of spaced vertically transversely extending guardplates mounted above the feeding table, a stationary rod connecting theguard plates for supporting one side edge of each sheet durin deliveryfrom the conveyor, a sheet balancer for normally supporting the otherside of the sheet, comprising a main frame having a hanger bracketattached to the frame of the conveyor mounted above the feeding tableadjacent to the stationary rod support, a

pair of spaced-arms extending from one side of the main frame, a journalbox formed in each spaced arm, a vertically extending inclined guideplate connecting and secured to the ends of the pair of spaced arms,said sheet balancer having an inner horizontally extending rod memberand an outer horizontally extending rod member, end rods connecting theends of the inner and outer rod members each having an are shaped outerportion adapted to extend under the lower edge of the guide plate, anaxle extending from each of the end rod members journaled in the journalboxes of the spaced arms, said outer horizontally extending rod memberengaging and initially supporting the other side of the sheet andadapted. to yield under the weight of the side of the sheet anddisengage the other side of the sheet from the stationary rod to allowthe sheet to drop on the feeding table to advance the sheet into the tinpot, a threaded rod secured at one end to the inner horizontally,extending rod memher adapted to receive a weight threaded thereon foradjustment on the threaded rod to allow sheets of different weights todrop onto the feeding table at the desired time and to return the sheetbalancer to its normal position after the sheet has been dropped ontothe feeding table.

ROBERT J. KOVATCH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,829,322 Williams Oct. 27, 1931 1,846,909 Schmitt Feb. 23,1932 1,926,261 Burnish Sept. 12, 1933 2,072,667 Coe Mar. 2, 1937'2,139,877 Brandt Dec. 13, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date161,684 Germany June 26, 1928

